February 15, 2012
Today we worked on updating our alignment of AM Objectives to the District's ELG specifically 7.12.
This document is saved and editable in the dropbox under the name 7 ELG alignment with AM.
February 14, 2012
Noticing from the pretest.
Justine:
Students able to read the graph (scaled by units of one).
Students intimated by the back side where they need to graph point, or attempt the equation.

Micah:
Share out must be data driven, and about groups of students. Making a plan of action to get help to students that need the help.
Students are using vocabulary. Used to use QTIPs in the building.
Collaboration piece you need to get something from other people.

QTIPs -
Question - Underline
Think - Stop
Information - Circle important information
Pick a strategy
Solve the problem.

Michael:
Over half my students can't do division, no access to the concept of problem #1
Question about how to teach equations best.


February 9, 2012
Still in the process of creating the pre-test.

Talked about the difference between pattern of change and being able to express the pattern of change with a rule or equation. (common misconception)
We need to make sure that students apply the rule to all occurrences of the variable, not just express the pattern.

Dealing with order of operations and talked about looking inside the parentheses for any operations. Do these until there are none, then move on.

What do we expect our students to do
Student need to be able read a sentence, table, or graph and find a rate.
- Need to be able to do it when it is not scaled by one. (Often by twos on the test)
- Need to comprehend what a rate is.
- Need to be able to identify the operation need to find the rate.

Student need to be able to graph in all four quadrant from a table.


February 8, 2012
What do we want our students to know:
Student need to be able read a sentence, table, or graph and find a rate.
Student need to be able to graph in all four quadrant from a table.
Student need to identify an equation from a graph
Student need to use and linear equation to find a value (substitution)
Given a linear situation, move flexibly among tables, graphs, and equations (identifying slope and y-intercept)
Use tables, graphs, and equations (including substitution of values) of linear relationships to answer questions

We are in the process of creating a pre-test for the unit focusing on skills that students should have from previous work, and stretching it a bit with some linear relationship ideas.
February 2, 2012

Having administered the common assessment we had the following noticings:

Students are having problems identifying problems that can be solved with proportional reasoning.

Students having problems with identifying corresponding sides, or corresponding part to part or part to whole ratios

Students not drawing out diagrams in word problems to help them solve problems

Students not doing any work in work boxes.

January
We decided on the items to use from the interim for our pretest data. We will use items: 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12.

We reiterated that we want to focus on setting up and solving proportions for this cycle. We discussed the fact that being able to find equivalent fractions is a foundational skill for this task. We brainstormed new ways to teach the concept of proportional relationships specifically trying to think of an activity other than more worksheets. One manipulative we might use are the "pink tower" blocks that Ms. Deolarte has.

After discussion, the activity we decided to try first is as follows: The students will be given problems in which they are given the base and height of one rectangle and are given one dimension of a similar rectangle. They will use rulers to draw the first rectangle, then set up and solve a proportion to find the missing side of the second rectangle. They will then measure and draw the second rectangle. The visual representation is to act as a check for the mathematical solution.